A new Illinois law that Gov. JB Pritzer (D) signed Tuesday will require all law enforcement agencies in the state to conduct more thorough background checks on prospective officers.
The law, spurred by the fatal shooting of Sonya Massey in July 2024, requires agencies to review every applicant’s employment history and records before making job offers.
Massey, 36, was shot and killed in her home by Sangamon County, Ill., sheriff’s deputy Sean Grayson after Massey called authorities to report a suspected prowler.
Grayson was later fired and charged with murder. His trial is scheduled for October.
Grayson’s employment record came under scrutiny after the shooting, as it was discovered he worked for six law enforcement agencies over four years and had a history of insubordinate behavior in previous roles.
Pritzker said in a statement that the new law will “help prevent these tragedies, to better equip law enforcement to keep our communities safe, and to continue working to build a justice system that protects all of our citizens.”
“When Sonya Massey feared for her safety, she did what anyone would do — she called law enforcement for help,” the governor said. “Communities should be able to trust that when they call the police to their home, the responding officer will be well-trained and without a history of bias or misconduct.”
Massey’s family reached a $10 million wrongful death settlement with Sangamon County, Ill., in February.
Separately, the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) and the sheriff’s office brokered an agreement in January to settle a federal investigation into race and disability discrimination in the county’s policing and dispatch services that was prompted by the shooting.
